And with this the company wanted us just to have a “gentlemen's agreement” in regards to consulting the union BEFORE changes are made to members' working conditions.

For many years the union and Panasonic Excel International had a relatively smooth relationship and we were able to work out many problems which our members faced, but now, with the non-renewal of the branch chair, it’s hard to believe that Excel expects a smooth working relationship with the union.

General Union members working at Panasonic Excel have submitted new demands for collective bargaining and hope to begin negotiations in July. Teachers joined the union in 2002 when they had unilaterally been moved from one employer to another inside the then Matsushita group and suffering a massive pay cut.